golf

You are invited to one of the most prestigious golf outings in the Dayton area! Join us for the Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton 2018 Golf Classic event.

Known as “the quiet gem of Miami Valley Country Clubs,” the Sycamore Creek Country Club course contains a host of challenging natural features, including five winding creeks, natural valleys, abundant sycamore trees and elevated tees and greens.

The year was 2005, and NCR Country Club was hosting the PGA Senior open. It was the last day of the event, and a tired Arnold Palmer stopped into the CVS convenient store in Oakwood on Far Hills Ave. He was looking for lotion and grabbed an ice tea and a lemonade. He asked questions of the young clerk upon checkout, and was on his merry way. Another day in the life of the legend.

Arnold Palmer, the iconic 20th Century golfer, passed away last weekend of heart failure. He was 87. Arnold was the closest thing golf had to royalty. He grew up in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, learned golf from his father who was the greenskeeper. Arnold eventually would buy the golf club, after a successful career that began with a golfing scholarship at Wake Forest and his first amateur win in 1954, cementing his turn to a professional golfer.

The Arnold Palmer Drink: Half Lemonade / Half Iced Tea

He was always a hard worker, viewed as a blue collar champion of the sport. He also had a sense of humor: “I have a tip that can take five strokes off anyone’s golf game: it’s called an eraser.”

THE SKINNY ON ARNOLD THE FOODIE:

From clothing to sports equipment and commercials, he was a marketing guru as well. We are happy to report that Arnold was also a foodie. His favorite Food Adventure? A nice, thick, juicy burger. He also loved comfort foods like meatloaf, beef stroganoff and pot roast. Another favorite MUST EAT? Montgomery Inn Ribs. In fact, he loved them so much, he featured them on his menu in his restaurant in La Quinta, California

Half a slab of Montgomery Inn ribs

MUST DRINKS: “THE ARNOLD PALMER”

Arnold’s wife used to make iced tea for him a lot. I the 60’s he asked her to put a little lemonade in it and see how it tasted to change things up. Once he got the proportions of each ingredient right, he had found his trademark. Years later at a restaurant bar in Palm Springs, California, he would ask the bartender for the concoction. A waitress overheard the request and said I want to try one of those “Arnold Palmers” and so requested a couple of diners as well. There you have it… In approximately 2005, the Arizona Tea Company mass produced the drink to the delight of thirsty golfers, sports fans and convenient store visitors.

Today we recognize the final hours to get involved with a charitable cause at the 1st Annual Dayton Fairways for Airways a Celeb Pro-Am golf Outing to benefit the Javonte Woods Foundation.

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

Always involved with local charities

— On August 14th, 2010, Princeton High School Student Jovante Woods died suddenly from a severe asthma attack. His parents, Ickey and Chandra, were inspired to keep his memory alive. They started the Javonte Woods foundation with the goal of educating and helping prevent others from experiencing the loss of a loved one to this condition.

Andy Harmon, former Philadelphia Eagles Defensive All Star from Centerville

Ira Hillary, Bengals former Wide Receiver

James Brooks, Bengals former All Pro Running Back

Pete Johnson, former Bengals Running Back

Tom Browning, former Reds Pitcher

Solomon Wilcots, former Bengal Defensive Back and current ESPN personality

Keith Byars, former Ohio State and Philadelphia Eagles star running back and Dayton native

Hanford Dixon, former Cleveland Browns star Defensive Back

The Big Ragu is still looking for his golf ball at NCR North course

NCR Country Club is the perfect backdrop for this event, Monday, with its world class courses. Thick brush and tricky fairways, will make for a fun and challenging outing. We wish the participants the best of luck, and the celebs too !

Food Adventures also wishes the foundation and “Fairways for Airways” much success in the future. Thank you to the organizers, like Archer’s owner Dan Apolito, Ickey Woods and the celebs. Also a shout out to the people who patronize this tournament. You make the world go ’round !

In all of our Food Adventure articles, we feature extraordinary people doing extraordinary things. And even then some people stand out among the rest. Take Chef Matt Hayden for example, owner of Scratch Event Catering. He has owned bars, eateries, and learned to hone his culinary skills. Whether it is taking an egg to whisk it, or smoking brisket, he is on top of it all. He donates times to various charities, and never boasts or asks for recognition. Matt does it for his love of the cause, and his love of pleasing people with good food.

One such event is the Suzy Pender Memorial Golf Outing. This annual event will have its 14th golf outing this Saturday at Jamaica Run Golf Course. Suzy was a Centerville native who had a love for golf and children. She passed away unexpectedly in 2001, at the age of 30. She was an absolute angel, who was taken from this world, way too soon. The golf outing honors her memory and helps causes that were close to her heart. The purpose of the event, is to raise money to buy stuffed animal Teddy Bears. These bears are given to hospitalized children to help comfort them. Tens of thousands of bears have been given to children at Miami Valley Hospital over the past 14 years.

Matt Hayden has also been there over the past 14 years donating his food, time and resources to make this event what it is today. Matt’s wife Carey along with a committee of Suzy’s friends, run the benefit without a hitch. Saturday’s event has already sold out the maximum # of golfers. Again, we can’t say enough good things about the committee that organizes this golf outing each year. The door prizes and fun times are second to none.

Scratch Event Catering typically makes and incredible BBQ buffet spread featuring all you want baby back ribs, pulled pork, roasted chicken and some tasty southern style soul sides. It is nothing short of a great Food Adventure ! Every year we see Matt running around, serving hot food, and providing a delicious and filling meal. He and his staff work hard, and it shows in the end product.

Chef Matt Hayden, a Dayton Native who gives back to the Community

Today we recognize Matt’s dedication of 14 years and counting to this charity. We also say THANK YOU, for giving back to the community, year after year.

Ever had dinner with a ghost? Well here is your chance, Ghost Hunters! Snow Hill Country Club is haunted, and had been serving up “Dinner and a Ghost” nights on Fridays in October for the past 12 years. In fact, the place is so legendary, that it was featured on an episode of the Biography channel’s “My Ghost Story.” The country club is located just outside of Wilmington, on State Route 73. The “Dinner and a Ghost” nights feature food, fear and even an overnight stay.

The Food Adventures Crew have eaten in many scary places, but this was our first “Haunted Food Adventure.” The food is pretty straight forward. On our two trips to the country club, buffet items included turkey and ham, while another night they featured ribs and salmon. The meal is rounded out with salad, a couple of sides and a dessert plate shared by the table, or possibly some cake.

But we weren’t here for the food, we were here for the ghosts. And Snow Hill delivered….

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— “Dinner and a Ghost” features appetizers in the bar and a buffet style dinner. The menu has improved since the 1820’s and they wont be serving rabbit, steamed onions, venison and beef tongue anymore.

One of our dinners featured Ribs and Salmon

— After dinner, the hosts take you on a guided tour complete with historical information, sound recordings of unexplained voices, and even a couple of photos believed to be “supernatural.” Tour gurus include historian Kathleen Madison and Ghost expert/Paranormal Investigator Shelly Suittor. Supporting cast includes Ghost Hunters Kat Powell and Alicia Soich.

— After the tour, guests are encouraged to look around for about an hour and explore for themselves. During this time a few notable unexplained “phenomenon” have been known to occur.

— Attendees may purchase alcohol at a full service bar on the main level.

— There are 6 guest rooms, and groups may make reservations to stay the night for about 100 bucks per room. Included in the stay is “ghost hunting” all night, if you have the guts to roam the halls late at night. Even golf may be arranged during good weather.

— Snow Hill Country Club is located in New Vienna, Ohio at 11093 New Vienna Rd (Daytonians know this as State Route 73). Famous visitors have included Henry Ford, Eleanor Roosevelt, and legendary 1920’s golfer, Walter Hagen.

— Minimum groups for ‘dinner and a ghost’ are 12 people. Cost of dinner and tour is $45 per person.

Click to enlarge: What you think of the “orb” in this photo. Is it the sign of a spirit ?

MUST SCREAMS:

— Snow Hill was built and owned by the Harris family in 1820. It was a popular Inn and tavern up through the 1900’s. One of the oldest running businesses in Ohio, the country club is said to be haunted by spirits of past owners, family members and past guests.

— Many stories abound from the 70’s and 80’s like a man whom believed he hit a pedestrian in the road, but noone was found. Or records of police and firefighters responding to alarms and seeing unexplained light and movements throughout the house.

Big Ragu was taking photographs in the dark, damp cellar thought to be a passage for the underground railroad. In some of the photos, some circular orbs appeared, one very prominently. We were told that many ghost hunters believe these are tell tale signs of “spirits” in the room. To be honest, we do not know what to think, other than the orbs were strange and not in photos taken of the same place seconds earlier. The prominent orb in the photo had a distinct outline and almost looked to have “veins” running through it. Odd indeed. Is it a spirit? You decide.

The Big Ragu was in the storage area of the basement, when the door next to him opened about an inch and then slammed quickly. He looked around the room at the handful of people near him and they had that “oh crap” look on their face. Ragu opened the door and saw a dark empty hall with a staircase, there was nobody there. There was also a moment where the Big Ragu felt something grab his back pocket. He was unsure if this was a fan who liked his behind or a ghost.

Elegant, yet Spooky: Stay the night… if you dare

— During our 2nd visit to Snow Hill, one of our fellow guests took a photo of what appears to be an apparition in one of the bedrooms. Again, unexplained and just plain weird.

— Recordings of various unexplained voices gave us goosebumps, especially one particular ghost that whispered the word “Becky” as clear as day on the recording. The voice was creepy like Golem from Lord of the Rings movies, or like someone who ate too much at Golden Corral.

— An 1880’s portrait photo of an man was found in a cupboard, and when locked away, would keep appearing in various open areas of the country club. One of the tour guests recognized the photo as her ancestor Thomas Wilson, a Civil War vet. Since being identified, it was found out that he was a former owner of the country club, purchasing it at auction in 1898. Since being identified, his photo has ceased moving inexplicably.

—A candlemaker tool levitated and slammed to the ground on a couple of occasions in front of various dinner party guests a few years back. The theory is that the ghost of the original owner, Mrs Harris, might not be keen on a “peasant tool” being allowed in her formal dining room as decor.

With Halloween around the corner, this is the perfect time for “Dinner and a Ghost” at Snow Hill Country Club. We were skeptical going in, and realized after 2 visits, some things happened that we couldn’t explain. Were they spirits from lives past? Look at our photos, listen to the recordings in person. Is the place haunted? Did we see “ghosts?” You decide…. and check it out for yourself, but we suggest you don’t go alone.

Click to enlarge: On our 2nd trip to Snow Hill a fellow guest took this pic. Is is a ghost?

Beer has flooded the country. In 2010, there were fewer than 1,800 breweries in the United States. And there were zero in Dayton. Fast forward to 2013, where there are over 2,500 breweries in the United States. Dayton is seeing its own brewing growth spurt, with the Dayton Beer Company, Fifth Street Brewpub, Toxic Brewing Company, Lock 27 Brewing, Yellow Springs Brewing, Eudora, Star City Brewing, and many others that I am sure are in the works. Beer tastings have also expanded all over the city. Brewtensils has been offering not only supplies, but classes in brewing everything from a traditional lager or pilsner to experiments on the far ranges of the flavor scale. This is the environment the 4th Annual Dayton Beer Week will be awakening to this weekend, inviting all of Dayton to step out and discover some of the beery goodness themselves.

There are going to be some big events celebrating beer this weekend as the party kicks off at Kitty Hawk Golf Course with the 3rd Annual Pints, Putters, & Pink Balls-2 Club Golf Scramble benefiting the Breast Cancer Foundation. Registration starts at 12:30 PM for a 1 PM start. Get out your beer gear on Sunday and join all the floats and fun for the 4th Annual Beer Pride Parade in the Oregon district, starting at 4:30 PM at Dublin Pub (of course). The good folks at 5th Street Wine and Deli will be having a pre-parade tasting starting at 1 PM, so you can get an incredible seat for the festivities. For those of you who are a little more health conscious, Widmer Brothers is sponsoring Biking for the Beer of It Tuesday night. It begins in West Carrollton and ends after a 10 mile ride at A Taste of Wine in Miamisburg. They are very considerate, making sure you are well hydrated with a selection of beers at the midway point. The last major event of the week will be AleFest at Carillon Park (who is also setting up a historic brewery). You can try out all of the Dayton breweries, explore the growing gluten-free beer offerings, and just generally enjoy over 375 beers from over 150 breweries. That is, of course, if you are not beered out by that point.

Beer weeks ends with a bang, celebrating over 350 craft beers!

It is not just the big events that make this week special. Restaurants all over the Miami Valley are going to be celebrating in some form or another.

Monday:

Rouge will take over the draughts beginning at 5 PM at Jimmy’s Ladder 11. They will be featuring the Double Chocolate Stout, Hazelnut Brown, and Imperial IPA. After you’ve had your beer, you can keep the glass!

Tuesday:

Cincinnati favorite Mt. Carmel Brewing Company will be taking over some taps at Blind Bob’s with their Summer Wheat, Harvest Dry Hopped ESB, and others. The festivities there start at 4 PM, and you get a souvenir glass to take home with you!

Friday:

The Trolley Stop will be rolling out the red carpet on the second last night of Dayton Beer Week. They will be featuring rare beers like Bell’s Black Note, and good music that night from 7 PM to midnight.

Are you still shy about craft beer? The Arrow Wine on Lyons Road will be having an Oskar Blues beer tasting from 5 to 7 PM. If you purchase a four or six pack of these very good brews, you will also walk out with a special gift.

This is not even remotely close to the full list of events for the week. Many restaurants and bars will be having specials on a wide range of beers. Look over the full menu of events and plan your week accordingly.

This is a nice start to the week…

While you are out exploring Dayton, there are a few things you should remember while doing your tastings:

When you taste, it is very similar to tasting wine. You want a little foam on the top. You also want to look at and sniff the beer before you taste it, to see what aromas are coming off of it.

Do not hold the beer in direct light when you look at it. You get the best idea of color when you look at it in indirect light.

Give it a little bit of a swirl in your glass. This stirs up the carbonation a little, allowing more of the aromas to be released. Don’t underestimate the importance of scent when tasting your beer!

Hold the beer in your mouth a little bit, allowing it to roam all over your tongue. Enjoy the flavors that come out as it is in your mouth. Take a mental note on how thick the beer is. This is known as mouthfeel.

Allow the beer to warm up SLIGHTLY before you drink it. As with wine, a little bit of extra warmth unveils deeper flavors that may not be otherwise obvious.

And while you are going to Beer Week events:

Car pool. Parking is going to be very limited for some of these events, and the citizens are going to be out in force. Getting more people in one car is going to be helpful for everyone.

Get there early. You want to make sure you get there in enough time to get seats! Make sure you call the venue and check out the details.

Drink plenty of water. This is going to serve a twofold purpose. First, water will help cleanse the palate between each beer, giving you a better idea of how each beer tastes. Secondly, it will help you avoid a worse hangover than you might normally have.

Do not eat spicy foods before you go to an event. You do not want your taste buds to be still burning from the Nuclear Hot wings you just ate. Eat a little something; just tone it down.

Go to the dark side. If you are not at a pre-set beer tasting, start off with some of the lighter beers, and go to the darker ones. The darker beers tend to have heavier flavors and be thicker, which can linger a little longer.

Designate a driver. No explanation needed.

It has been a busy few years for the craft beer scene, and this is the year it looks like it is going to explode in Dayton. This is the time to go out and taste new beers, find new favorites, and meet new friends. There are so many events going on during the week we would love to know which ones you are most looking forward to. Leave a note in the comments, and we will see you around town. Cheers!